Oftentimes, when protest songs are done right, you might not even realize what they’re about. Here are a few 90s songs about war.
“Zombie” by The Cranberries
The Cranberries have a couple of songs about war and violence, but perhaps the best-known is “Zombie”. This one was inspired by the Irish struggle for independence, a conflict that ended in 1998. This conflict came to be known as “The Troubles,” and it involved multiple bombings, one of which took place in March 1993. The IRA (Irish Republican Army) bombed a part of England, and two children were killed as a result. “Zombie” gets right to the point from Verse 1.
Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we, mistaken?
This song was ineligible for the US Billboard chart, but it hit No. 1 in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and Iceland.
“Rooster” by Alice In Chains
Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains wrote “Rooster” for his father, who was a Vietnam veteran. His dad got the nickname “Rooster” from Cantrell’s grandfather. The song is supposed to be from Cantrell’s father’s perspective. However, as the singer/guitarist shared, his time in Vietnam wasn’t something he liked to talk about.
“…He’s heard this song,” Cantrell told Vic Garbarini. “He’s only seen us play once, and I played this song for him when we were in this club opening for Iggy Pop. I’ll never forget it. He was standing in the back and he heard all the words and stuff. Of course, I was never in Vietnam and he won’t talk about it, but when I wrote this it felt right… like these were things he might have felt or thought…”
“Rooster” peaked at No. 7 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
“Civil War” by Guns N’ Roses
“Civil War” reached No. 4 on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock chart and charted high in multiple countries, including Poland, where it went No. 1 in 1990. This song addresses civil rights in the United States but also touches on conflicts like the Vietnam War. All in all, it’s kind of a dissertation on everything that’s wrong with America.
“And in my first memories, they shot Kennedy / I went numb when I learned to see / So I never fell for Vietnam / We got the wall in D.C. to remind us all.”
Photo by: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
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